


Flickering Flame

by Sugar_and_Salt



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: AU priests & gods, Fire God Chanyeol, M/M, Music & theology, Priest Jongdae, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26265247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sugar_and_Salt/pseuds/Sugar_and_Salt
Summary: These days, the holy flame is burning low.
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36
Collections: K-Pop Ficmix 2020





	Flickering Flame

**Author's Note:**

  * For [unnieunnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unnieunnie/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Home is where the heart(h) fire burns](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25534921) by [unnieunnie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/unnieunnie/pseuds/unnieunnie). 



> i hope this isn't disappointing.. i tried my best!  
> much love to the mods <3

There was a sound reverberating through the air.

It wasn't loud, wasn't even something to be picked up by human ears. Chanyeol, however, had spent many days listening to it now, to the point that it felt like a loud, somewhat vexing sensation. Like the air had turned grainy, constantly chafing against every single surface.

These days, the urge to let his mind wander was growing, and yet he was unable to fulfill this need for silence.

In his earliest days, he had quite enjoyed his freedom, had allowed his consciousness to wander, senses slowly reaching out to become one with the surrounding nature as he explored the lands he was watching over. He had wandered through every flame in their territory, had heard human gatherings, felt the mountain top breeze and smelled moist soil, all without ever truly leaving his shrine. He had never been able to touch anything, but that was alright. He was content as it was, and Jongdae would hold his hand without hesitation, giving him a taste of what warmth really felt like.

These days, however, Chanyeol had resigned himself to staying inside the shrine, never leaving the fireplace. It was something he didn't dare to, not with the grainy presence tainting the temple.

He felt Jongdae before he heard him, before he saw him stand in the doorway, carrying an ornate plate presumably holding an offering from the villagers.

"Chanyeol?"

He could hear it in his voice, in the careful question lingering beneath the syllables. Could see it in his eyes, too. They spoke of uncertainty as Jongdae padded closer.

Jongdae knew something was off, because of course he did.

He was Chanyeol's priest, after all.

It was that thought that had him smile a little wider, not minding the bittersweet aftertaste it left.

He waited for Jongdae to properly sit down before him, leaving the plate with cut fruits at the foot of the altar with a fleeting nod - it was quite endearing how he was finally starting to loosen up on the formalities which didn’t serve any particular purpose.

"How are you feeling today?" Chanyeol finally asked. Not because he didn't know - he usually sensed his human's feelings very well, even though the reasonings behind them sometimes eluded them - but simply because he liked to hear him talk.

Jongdae shot him a small grin, eyes shiny and cheeks painted with a light, healthy flush from the warmth of the fire. Chanyeol wouldn't ever tire of looking at him.

"I'm good," he replied immediately, fingers orderly clasped in his lap. He was nervous.

"And how are  _ you?" _

There was something probing to it, a polite yearn equaling an offered hand.

And because Chanyeol couldn't bear ignoring the offer, he reached out himself, holding out his hand with the palm facing the ceiling. Only when Jongdae took it, only when their hands were loosely intertwined and he could feel the other's heartbeat, did he speak up.

"I'm fine."

It wasn't a lie, but not the truth Jongdae was looking for either.

"You've been different these past few weeks," he pushed, as gentle and yet insistent as only Jongdae could. "And the fire has been burning low, no matter how much wood I add to the flames. Is something the matter?"

It was true of course. Even as they spoke, Chanyeol was tense with the effort to keep the flames around him as small as possible, resisting the temptation to feed off the heaps of dry wood surrounding the fireplace.

"The wood is of wonderful quality," he assured Jongdae, meeting his slightly confused, hurt gaze. It certainly ached, but Chanyeol didn't shy away, acting as the anchor he was supposed to be, voice slow and firm.

"Nothing is amiss, and everything will turn out just fine."

"So you do admit that something  _ isn't  _ fine right now," Jongdae murmured, not missing a beat, but no matter how much the spirits of this world loved him, granting him with inhuman sensibility, his senses remained unable to get a hold of Chanyeol's inner workings.

Chanyeol was flattered that he was trying so hard though.

He may be a deity, but being on the receiving end of this small, sturdy, pure human felt like the bigger honour sometimes.

"It will pass," he reassured him, brushing his lips against the other's knuckles to thank him for his worry by giving him the strongest blessing he could muster without having the flames around him grow too lively.

He kept himself together until Jongdae had closed the door behind him - not without throwing him a last, doubtful look. Only then did he allow the strain in his body to show, fingers pressing into the wood as he forced the flames down. Even so, he could see the shadows dance, tickled to life by the flames, cheekily dripping down the altar and tainting the stone floor.

The entire foot of the altar looked singed black already, and it was only a matter of time until Jongdae figured out that these were no ordinary shadows.

All Chanyeol could do, however, was hold out and hope for them to dissipate soon.

How much longer would it take?

For the first time since Jongdae's voice had awakened him, Chanyeol sent a prayer to the heavens himself.

Around him, the shadows seemed to move ever so slowly.

  
  


The sun hours shortened, leading into the season Chanyeol knew he was needed the most in. Colder days brought the need for warmth and protection, something that Chanyeol was all too glad to give, even though he had limited his time with Jongdae as much as possible.

This winter, however, the flames in the temple were burning low, and while nobody was afflicted with serious illnesses, people weren't immune to sore throats and blocked noses; it was something they were used to, having had an aging priestess the previous winter, and people were grateful for the blessings they did receive, but there was no denying that a newly born deity was said to shine much brighter. This truly didn't resemble the warm, bright winter nights their ancestors had recorded, and people started to whisper. Chanyeol may be bound to his shrine for the time being, but he didn't need to stretch to hear and feel whatever went on in the temple and its surroundings. There were whispers of carefully voiced doubt, opinions and assumptions about Jongdae's aptitude as a priest. It displeased Chanyeol, to say the least.

If only he could prove them wrong. But his hands were tied.

At this point, he couldn't even make the candle flames in the palace flicker in an accusatory manner, reprimanding the servants for their attitude.

Everything was starting to become a strain but Chanyeol would hold out.

Just a little longer.

_ Just a little longer  _ had become his new mantra when one evening, the door to his sanctum opened without warning, taking him by surprise.   
It was Jongdae peeking in, looking unsure and sad, only for his expression to slowly move into one of disturbance as his eyes fell upon the state of the sanctum. Chanyeol had to give him credit for reacting as fast as he did, slipping inside without as much as a word, hurrying to close the door.

He stayed there, with his back pressed against the wood - the sight did manage to hurt Chanyeol, even though it was exactly what he would have advised him to do.

"Chanyeol," Jongdae began slowly, fingertips white against the doorframe. "What is the meaning of this?"

Chanyeol tried to smile, but it didn't come out nearly as reassuring as he would have liked.

There was no way Jongdae would have believed him, anyway. Not with how the entire sanctum was charred black, deceivingly still shadows tainting the room, stretching out from the altar and almost reaching the walls. Almost reaching Jongdae.

"I'm sorry you had to see this," Chanyeol said quietly, pressing out the words in a calm, careful manner, willing the flames to stay as still as possible.

"Are you sick? Can I do anything to help-" Jongdae began, but Chanyeol only shook his head.

"I'm not sick. And this is not our issue to solve."

"What do you mean?" Jongdae urged, shifting his weight as he considered crossing the room, only to stay, frozen by his rightful wariness.

Having no other option, Chanyeol finally relented. At this point, telling the truth wouldn't worry the other, but soothe him instead, making it the best - and only option.

"You know I'm not the only deity ruling over the land," he explained gently, waiting for Jongdae to lock eyes with him. He really wished he could hold the hand of his human, his anchor, his other half, wishing to warm at least his heart, protecting at least one little flame.

"The deity in the far East has taken its priest and moved on from this place. And no new priest has entered the temple to call forth a successor.”

Jongdae blinked, shock and confusion fighting for the upper hand.

"Why? Did they not have an apprentice?"

Chanyeol shook his head.

"That I don't know. I can't allow myself to wander that far, into a territory that isn't mine to pry into. All I know is that the successor is already there, waiting for a priest to come forth and respond to his call. It's quite rare to have a deity awaken without a priest rousing them, but I can sense him waiting in the other realm. I can sense his loneliness."

"But what exactly does this have to do with all these... stains?" Jongdae asked, throwing a helpless look at them. "Are they harmful? Do they hurt you?"

"They're a result of no deity to keep them in line. Where my vessel is a flame and I am connected to them... the deity in the East is bound to shadows. With no deity actively reigning over the land, the shadows are starting to become bold and mischievous."

Jongdae knelt down to observe them more closely.

"So they were attracted to you because you were the closest deity," he stated rather than asked, ever so sensitive when it came to these things. Chanyeol hummed.

"The higher the flames, the longer the shadows they throw."

Jongdae looked at the altar with a new understanding, clearly going over the past weeks, re-evaluating them with this new knowledge.

Chanyeol could feel a bit of his relief, and he didn't fault Jongdae for it; he was flattered, really.

"You didn't answer my question," he said eventually, because he was nothing if not attentive. "Do they hurt you?"

Chanyeol smiled.

"They could never hurt me. But I don't want them near you, or near any human being."

Jongdae nodded as if this was all he had to hear.

"Alright. Leave it to me."

Chanyeol tilted his head.

"Leave what to you?"

But Jongdae only straightened up and shot him a determined look.

"This. I'll think of something."

Worry leaked through the tense barrier, but Chanyeol couldn't reach out without letting go of the small, repressed flames around him.

"Don't do anything reckless-"

But Jongdae only smiled.

"I won't. Trust me."

With these enigmatic words, his priest left, carefully closing the door without looking back.

For a moment, Chanyeol felt the weight of everything lessen, as if Jongdae's words alone had taken a bit of the strain off him, only further confirming that this young human had his very own kind of magic.

  
  


Jongdae didn't come to request a blessing anymore after that. It made Chanyeol a little nervous seeing as he could feel the glow of the land dimming slightly with every passing day, but there was truly nothing he could do but have faith in his priest.

He had ordered the many candles close to the sanctum to be replaced with tinted oil lamps to minimize the flickering without sacrificing the light needed to keep the shadows inside the sanctum.

Jongdae also still paid him a visit every day, as if to reassure himself that Chanyeol was still doing fine. He never mentioned anything regarding the shadows though. The silence was a bit eerie, and a part of Chanyeol felt like this was a well-deserved lesson for him, who had also shut Jongdae out for quite some time. He accepted the trial with grace and sat on his altar for days on end, coaxing the flames around him into a corset.

The shadows were already creeping up the walls, reaching for the ceiling, when Jongdae showed up in the doorframe, wearing his most beautiful set of traditional robes as well as an unlit candle. He looked slightly tired, but Chanyeol was hardly one to talk, all but sitting on a throne of leaking oil, begging to be put alight.

"Chanyeol."

Even Jongdae's voice sounded muted, softening in the presence of overwhelming, scary darkness humans were not used to.

It was that subdued, earnest tone that had Chanyeol smile at him.

"Jongdae," he said, mimicking him in an attempt of gentle humor. To his surprise, this particular little flame was ignited, and Jongdae smiled back at him.

"Let's try something," he said, lifting his candle a little. "Can you light this?"

Chanyeol huffed.

"I feel like you're underestimating me."

He acted like it didn't require a certain amount of coordination to light up the candle without letting go of the fire. For a moment, Jongdae had to close his eyes, only slowly adjusting to the unusual brightness. Then he took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Where Chanyeol felt unsure, Jongdae seemed perfectly certain of himself, taking one sure step after the other, slowly crossing the room as the shadows were pushed aside by the light, coaxed to life by the soft flickering of the candle flame.

It was certainly admirable, how devoid of fear Jongdae was as he sank to the ground in front of the altar, placing the candle before him. For a moment, his soul seemed much older than it really was.

"I am here, bringing an offering," Jongdae said with a quiet smile, a tiny spark of mischief dancing in the balanced, serene void. "And this time, I am humbly asking something from you: Would you help me deliver it?"

Chanyeol looked at the other in confusion, his hold on the flames too strained to truly express himself.

"It may not be my place to offer meagre comfort to a waiting deity, but seeing as the shadows decided to join us, it feels only fair to show them hospitality. With that thought in mind, I have put together an entirely new hymn. I went over ancient texts and spent a long time looking at the shadows around me, so I could try to express my feelings for them in a song."

Chanyeol felt the flames escape his iron grip, flickering just a little brighter as his own fondness for his priest swelled. Still, there was something that had to be said.

"As much as I honour your work, I'm not sure the shadows will be inclined to listen to a human, even with a voice as beautiful as yours."

"Maybe not," Jongdae agreed right away. "But they might listen to you. Which is why I'm asking you to sing with me."

Chanyeol blinked.

"I'm supposed to sing?"

_ "We  _ will sing," Jongdae corrected him, placing a hand over Chanyeol's own without hesitation. Then he smiled again, small but lively, mirroring the very flame on the altar.

"Just follow my lead."

And then he began to sing.

Hearing the priest sing was always an enchanting experience, and easily Chanyeol's most favourite thing in the world. This song was truly new, however, with ancient rhymes and senseless syllables intertwining, the melody differing from Jongdae’s usual hymns. It was lower, darker, but no less warm or clear. Chanyeol immediately knew that this was indeed not a song offered to him, or to any of his predecessors - this song spoke to the shadows around them, and there was no ill will resting between the notes, quite the opposite. Jongdae was approaching them with open arms, welcoming them, while at the same time herding them. What he was doing was complex beyond words, and by the time Chanyeol snapped out of it, leaning into the melody with soft hums, he could feel the shadows around them come alive. What used to be wandering, lost specks mindlessly crawling forward, seemed to stiffen in alertness, in growing awe, really, as Jongdae sang them a song.

At some point, he even let go of Chanyeol's hand in favour of trailing his fingertips over the ground around him, watching the shadows follow his movements, carefully avoiding to touch him. He was dancing  _ with  _ them, really, and Chanyeol knew that he was witnessing something that had never been seen before.

For once, Chanyeol truly felt like he was the one doing the worshiping, offering meagre support as he witnessed a miracle take place.

And he was so, so proud that he couldn't help the flame flickering back to life under his relaxing grip. Slowly, the warmth and light spread, licking up the wood as the shadows flit out of the way, still shyly flocking to Jongdae.

By the time the final notes were sung, the sanctum was dipped in light again, with a tight ring of shadows resting around Jongdae himself.

And Chanyeol was smiling like a fool.

"It worked," Jongdae muttered, blinking away the haze and tearing his gaze from the shadows with a last, fond look, that was now directed at Chanyeol. "We did it."

Chanyeol chuckled, enjoying the relaxing sensation of a fire burning exactly how it wanted to burn.

"It was all you," he said quietly, cupping his cheek. Warm, Jongdae was always so warm.

Maybe even a little warmer than usual.

"That's not true," he insisted, with his cheeks tinted red. "Have you ever listened to your voice? It's beautiful. And the shadows like it. They like  _ you.  _ Why else would they have appeared here, of all places, wanting to dance with you?"

For a moment, Chanyeol was stunned silent.

Then he leaned down just as he pulled Jongdae closer to connect their lips in a warm, healing kiss.

"Sometimes, I feel like I’m learning more from you than you do from me," he whispered against his lips, feeling him smile against his lips. “My smart and beautiful Chen.”

"Nonsense," Jongdae only whispered, though Chanyeol could hear his heartbeat pick up upon hearing the name he had brought to him from the other realm. He felt it, too, when Jongdae kissed him once more, tender and reverent as he slipped up to sit on the edge of the altar.

That night, every flame in the village seemed to burn a little brighter.

And in the heart of the temple, the holy flame burnt the brightest of them all.   
Surrounding the altar, the shadows seemed to dance with every flicker of it and a faint, pleasant sound filled the air as the shadows attempted to echo the beautiful melody the priest had offered them.


End file.
